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Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa
 
 
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Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa [DECKLE EDGE] (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: paris journal, vanished smile, art thieves, Mona Lisa, New York, Leonardo da Vinci (more...)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best of the Month, April 2009: In 1911, Leonardo's da Vinci's Mona Lisa was stolen off its hooks from the Louvre, remaining missing for over two years. Who took the most famous painting in the world? Was it Pablo Picasso, the upstart Spaniard--and modern counterpoint to the Italian master--in a fit of nationalistic pride, or the avant-garde poet Guillaume Apollinaire as an act of artistic revolution? R.A. Scotti's Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa investigates this largely forgotten caper, and along the way we're treated to a tour of turn-of-the-century Paris, the birth of modern forensics, and a biography of the enigmatic painting itself. To this day the mysterious theft of the painting the French call La Joconde remains unsolved--only Mona Lisa knows, and she's not talking. --Jon Foro


R.A. Scotti on Vanished Smile
Mona Lisa is the most famous face in the world, yet few among the thousands who flock to the Louvre to see her every day know that she was ever stolen. Who pinched Mona Lisa--and why?

The most surprising facts in the case:

1. 98 years ago, Mona Lisa vanished from the wall of the Louvre Museum.

2. No one noticed for more that 24 hours.

3. Pablo Picasso was a prime suspect in the theft.

4. Her mysterious disappearance made Mona Lisa the most famous wanted woman in the world.

4. Mona Lisa remained missing for more than 2 years and was presumed lost forever.

5. A letter signed “Leonardo” led police to the lost painting.

6. Almost 100 years later, the brazen crime remains unsolved. --R.A. Scotti

(Photo © Doug Steel)



From Publishers Weekly

In this charming account of the brazen 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre and the two-year quest to bring her home, Scotti (Basilica) explores not only the puzzling crime but also the source of the painting's universal appeal and its provenance. On the morning of Tuesday, August 22, La Joconde was found missing from the Salon Carré. Even with help of renowned French criminologist Alphonse Bertillon, the trail was cold from the start. Rumors abounded about greedy, wealthy American collectors and the Louvre's lax security. No one in Paris was above suspicion, not even the young Pablo Picasso. While the portrait was finally recovered in Florence in 1913, its theft apparently the result of a young Italian's misguided patriotism (the painting's probable subject is a young Florentine, Lisa del Giocondo), Scotti is eager to remind readers that the mystery is far from over. The true motive for the theft—and the possible connection to a larger ring of art thieves—remains tantalizingly unknown by the end of this lively recounting. Photos. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Knopf; First Edition edition (April 7, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307265803
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307265807
  • Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,005 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #3 in  Books > History > Europe > Western
    #4 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Reference > Art Identification
    #6 in  Books > History > Europe > France > Paris

More About the Author

R. A. Scotti
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Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (52 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Verve and intrigue, April 4, 2009
By Malvin (Frederick, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)      
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
"Vanished Smile" by R.A. Scotti is a fascinating account of the theft of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' from the Musee de Louvre in 1911. A skilled writer who has previously produced both fiction and nonfiction books, Ms. Scotti is true to the historic specificity of the events but tells the tale with the verve and intrigue of a first-rate crime novelist. The result is an engrossing and entertaining read that should appeal to a wide audience, especially all those interested in art, history, or real-life mysteries.

Ms. Scotti leads us through the bizarre sequence of events that surrounded this, the crime of the 20th century. We become acquainted with an array of colorful personalities, from museum curators, petty criminals, forgers, police detectives and famous individuals including Guillaume Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso. We are taken back to a time where we understand how the unfolding drama captivated international audiences and ultimately helped to elevate the Mona Lisa to its present status as the world's most well-known painting.

Sandwiched between her narrative, Ms. Scotti includes an absorbing profile and short history of Leonardo and the Mona Lisa. She discusses the artists' life and times as well as his innovative painting techniques that combined to produce one of the most enduring works of art. The shrewd placement of this excursus in the middle of the text serves to heighten the suspense if not deepen the reader's appreciation of the Mona Lisa as both a brilliant technical achievement and cultural icon.

In the latter part of the book, Ms. Scotti relates how the perpetrator was finally apprehended while suggesting that unknown others may well have been involved in the heist. Ms. Scotti successfully invokes the enduring mystery about the crime, retelling a washed-up journalist's fanciful yarn that suggests there may have been far more to the story than has been generally recognized. As the author recounts how the Mona Lisa was eventualy recovered and later toured the world to great acclaim, she tantalizingly suggests that the full truth surrounding the theft of the Mona Lisa remains as mysterious to us today as her timelessly captivating and enigmatic smile.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars HISTORY MADE FUN--reads like a WHO-DUNNIT!!!, April 8, 2009
By P. Eisenman (Upper Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
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R. A. Scotti makes history FUN! VANISHED SMILE: THE MYSTERIOUS THEFT OF MONA LISA reads like a who-dunnit mystery. She starts with the 1911 theft, then follows along with the investigation as conducted by French officials. Never letting on as to the who as she tells the story of the how. False trails lead to the implication of Pablo Picasso! But, two years later the real thief emerges from the shadows.

I won't spoil the ending for you! R.A. Scotti examines contempory as well as later theories as to the WHY of the theft. Included along the way, you'll find lots of information about the history of the Mona Lisa and her creator, Leonardo da Vinci. All of which makes for a fast paced, interesting jaunt through one of history's little "side-shows."

Perhaps, like me, you'd never heard about "l'Affaire de la Joconde." It's a story worth learning. One of those strange tales that could happen in ONLY real life!

I give VANISHED SMILE by R.A. Scotti FIVE STARS!! Great writing style, a marvelous story, and thought provoking discussion of the possible "unknowns" of the entire case and history of the Mona Lisa. A few illustrations help the story along. As I said, it reads more like a who-dunnit mystery than a non-fiction history book. This is a book that anybody who likes art, Da Vinci, history or mystery could enjoy. Worthwhile, enjoyable reading.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Off the Wall, April 7, 2009
By Dick Johnson (Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Though the mastermind behind the theft of the Mona Lisa nearly a century ago may never be known, this book is a well written presentation of the event.

It's not often that "page-turner" and "non-fiction" are used together, but this is both. Scotti's style is to tell the story without unnecessary embellishment. It flowed nicely and the pieces of the puzzle fit together well.

She provides a needed sketch of da Vinci plus the birth and development of the Mona Lisa. She also gives us a fascinating look at the four hundred years of the painting's travels and travails leading up to the theft; as well as its last hundred years' journies.

This book held my attention throughout, and though it is not a long book but it was long enough to treat the story in sufficient detail. This was certainly entertaining and I highly recommend it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars TOTALLY CAPTIVATING
SCOTTI is a masterful storyteller. This reads like a great who-dunnit, lots of energy, intrigue and history all spun together in a way that's hard to put down. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Michelina Iaccino

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read
This is a rather short but intriguing book..who knew someone made off with the mona lisa so long ago. I would have liked a more descriptive setting but now i am nit picking
Published 3 months ago by L. Maupin

5.0 out of 5 stars Another True Art Heist
The theft of the Mona Lisa was something I vauguely recall hearing about, so I think. And when I saw this book was out, I decided to pick it up becuase the true mysteries are... Read more
Published 3 months ago by E. Caisse

4.0 out of 5 stars You Won't Miss the Helicopter
I find it hilarious that one of the critical Amazon reviews of "Vanished Smile" compared it unfavorably to Dan Brown! Read more
Published 3 months ago by David Cady

4.0 out of 5 stars Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of the Mona Lisa
Based on a true incident in 1911 which I was totally unaware of, the story presents a blase French security system in the Louvre which allows someone to virtually walk away with... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Hilary Franey

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite Interesting
As a lover of art, mystery, and France, this book's title appealed to me, and when I got the book, the little blurb made this book sound even better. Read more
Published 4 months ago by K.Warner

5.0 out of 5 stars Mona Lisa for the masses
The theft of the Mona Lisa is like the sinking of the Titanic and the first trans-Atlantic phone call: you're conscious of it, even if you don't know the particulars... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Rose Keefe

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful analysis of public concern and temperament of the times
In 1911 da Vinci's Mona Lisa vanished from the Louvre, sparking years of mystery, sadness, and debate. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Midwest Book Review

4.0 out of 5 stars A quick and enjoyable read
It's 1911. A hot summer's day in Paris. The guard at the Louvre is asked where the Mona Lisa is by an avid fan of the painting who is working on a copy. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Thomas Paul

3.0 out of 5 stars A Mysterious Painting But a Straightforward Book
Raise your hand if you knew that less than 100 years ago, there was a very real chance the Mona Lisa would never be seen again because she was stolen from the Louvre? Read more
Published 5 months ago by Robert Hay Jr.

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